D.J.Dunn www.freestudy.co.

uk 1
STABILITY OF PNEUMATIC and HYDRAULIC VALVES

These three tutorials will not be found in any examination syllabus. They have been added to the
web site for engineers seeking knowledge on why valve elements sometimes go unstable and what
can be done to prevent it.
TUTORIAL 3 - STABILITY ANALYSIS OF VALVES

This tutorial extends the work of the earlier tutorials to examine the causes of valve oscillations in
hydraulic and pneumatic systems and includes some case studies.
The analogous quantities throughout will be as follows.
Pressure (p) - Voltage (V)
Mass flow ( m& ) - Current(I or i)
Mass (m) - Charge (Q)

TYPICAL CASE

The following case prompted the research outlined here but the general principles may be extended
to a range of valves and situations. A simple spring loaded pressure limiting valve with a flat plate
design was used to vent air from a vessel and was connected to the vessel by a pipe. It was found
that the valve would go into violent oscillations at frequencies in excess of 50 Hz.

There are three forces acting on the valve plate: the force of the escaping air F
v
, the force of the
steel spring F
s
and the pneumatic damping force due to the pressure of the air in the dashpot F
d
.
Each of these forces varies with distance x. These interact with the valve mass and the pipeline
dynamics to produce instability. Perturbations in the pressure travel along the pipe at the sonic
velocity and are reflected from the volume as rarefactions (negative pressure). If the pipe length
is resonant at a frequency near to the resonant frequency of the valve, they will interact. (Note
that at closed ends such as a hydraulic pump, the pressure perturbations are reflected as positive
pressure).

Research revealed that on part of the operating characteristic
the mass flow could increase with the inlet pressure
decreasing. This gives the device a negative characteristic or
restriction. A similar electronic device is a tunnel diode used
to create microwave oscillations.

Research also revealed that the pneumatic dashpot behaved like a spring and produced
negligible damping until a damping orifice was added to it. Also the steel spring, having a
moving mass, produces a force that gets out of phase with movement and decreases with
frequency so that it became ineffective. Much of the work uncovered has been explained in
tutorials (1) and (2). The following gives some insight into the stability analysis.
D.J.Dunn www.freestudy.co.uk 2
DYNAMIC STABILITY

Valve oscillation has several causes. The main ones are the interaction between the valve mass and
spring dynamics and the dynamics of the pipe system connected to it.

Water hammer is a phenomenon involving pressure fluctuations moving up and down pipes, usually
due to the closure or opening of a pipe line valve. You will find information on this in the fluid
mechanics tutorials. A related phenomenon occurs in hydraulic and pneumatic systems with
interaction between the valve and the pipe dynamics. When a valve moves, the flow rate through it
changes and the pressure in the pipe changes. Pressure changes can travel along a pipe and are
reflected from closed end as a pressure and from open ends as rarefaction. It becomes possible for
the pressure and flow rate to get out of phase with each other and with the valve position and thus
sustain the oscillation of the valve element.

An additional cause is that the possibility of a negative pressure - flow rate characteristic, a well
known cause of instability.

CLOSED LOOP MODEL


Two models are shown. One is based on the relationship between flow rate and valve position
and the other is based on the relationship between valve movement and the fluid force acting on
the valve element. If a transfer function is derived for the two blocks and a closed loop transfer
function created, then a stability analysis can be made. This model may be applied to all manner
of valves, hydraulic and pneumatic. The dynamics of the pipe line may be determined in many
cases by applying electrical transmission line theory to it.

Generally, when the resonant frequency of the valve is close to the quarter wave resonant frequency
of the pipe (or some multiple of the frequency) the valve will be unstable. There will be a 90
o
phase
shift between the flow and the pressure (like between current and voltage in an electrical system).

In the following a great simplification is used where the changes in the variables is assumed to be
very small and so the relationships between them are linearised to the gradients of the functions at
the operating point. This is called a 'Small Perturbation Analysis' and allows some insight to the
onset of instability. Larger perturbations may make the system more or less stable.
D.J.Dunn www.freestudy.co.uk 3
ANALYSIS OF THE VALVE DYNAMICS

When a valve oscillates, the whole system becomes dynamic and surprising things can happen
like what happens to an ordinary spring which we will examine first.

DYNAMIC SPRING RATE

An ordinary spring has a spring rate k
s
= F/x but the spring coils
have a mass and only one end moves so some of the mass moves
faster than the rest. When one end is moved harmonically the actual
spring rate or dynamic spring rate has been shown to be
1
s
s
s
s
s sd
k
M
tan
k
M
k k

=
In a later case study
m
s
= 1.46 g and k
s
= 1.46 N/mm and the plot
is shown. This shows that the spring rate can
become zero or even negative if it is attached
to the valve element.

SMALL PERTURBATION METHOD

In this section the analysis is made by assuming that
all the changes are small. This is called a small
perturbation analysis.

We need to consider how the mass flow rate m& and
force F
v
varies with pressure p
1
and opening x.
F
v
is the fluid force acting on the valve element due
to the pressure and momentum change of the fluid.

These are related by some function. At the operating point the gradients of the functions are C
1
,
C
2
, C
3
and C
4
. The graphs are only for illustrative purposes.

For a small change we consider that the relationship is linear. Clearly if the changes are large
the result is different but this method is useful for determining the likelihood of instability
occurring.

VALVE IMPEDANCE and TRANSFER FUNCTIONS

Many models use impedance to model the dynamics of the valve and this fits in with the
electrical analogue. The following could apply to most types of hydraulic and pneumatic valves
but a simple flat valve will be considered here. The mass flow rate m& depends on the opening x
o

and the pressure drop over the element p = p
1
- p
2
.
We will consider p
2
as constant so p = p
1
.
D.J.Dunn www.freestudy.co.uk 4
IMPEDANCE
The impedance is defined as
m
p
Z
1
v
&
=
The change in flow rate will be partly due to the change in opening and partly due to the change
in pressure so m& = C
1
p
1
+ C
2
x

x
m
C
p
m
C
2
1
1
& &
= =
1
1
2 1
1
p
x
C C
m
p

+ =
&
(1)
This shows that the impedance is negative when
1
1
2
C
p
x
C >
The change in the force F
v
will be partly due to the change in opening and partly due to the
change in pressure so F
v
= C
3
p
1
+ C
4
x (2)

The force 'F
v
' is opposed by various forces depending on the design.
This could include the force due to the steel spring 'F
s
', the damping
force 'F
d
' due to the dashpot and the inertia force 'F
i
' due to the mass
of the element 'M'.

Equating the forces we have F
v
= F
s
+ F
d
+ F
i

If these change slightly then F
v
= F
s
+ F
d
+ F
i

The inertia force is defined as
2
2
i
dt
x d
M F = where M is the moving
mass.
Each of these forces varies with opening so we define the gradients of the functions as a spring
rate such that:
x
F
k
x
F
k
x
F
k
v
v
s
s
d
d
= = =
( )
( )
( )
2
2
d s
2
2
d s v
dt
x d
M k k x
dt
x d
M x k x k F + + = + + =
In Laplace form this is ( )
2
d s v
Ms k k x F + + =
( ) ( )
2
d s
2
d s v
Ms k k x x Ms k k x F + + = + + = (3)
Equate (3) and (2 ) ( )
2
d s 4 1 3
Ms k k x x C p C + + = +
( ) { }
4
2
d s 4
2
d s 1 3
C Ms k k x x C Ms k k x p C + + = + + =
{ }
1 4
2
d s
3
p
x
C Ms k k
C
=
+ +
Substitute into (1)
{ }
1
4
2
d s
3 2
1 v
C Ms k k
C C
C Z

+ +
+ =
If the valve oscillates harmonically with a small amplitude we may substitute s = j
{ }
1
2
4 d s
3 2
1 v
M C k k
C C
C Z

+
+ =

this is negative when

2
1
1
3 2
4 d s
M
C
C C
C k k

+ +
>
The resonant frequency is

+ =
x
F
k k
M
1

v
d s r

As discussed above, the steel spring rate a function of frequency and the dynamic rate k
sd

should be used. This may give a negative value at the frequency of interest and can greatly
increase the probability of negative valve impedance.

Negative impedance will occur when the net spring rate is negative.
D.J.Dunn www.freestudy.co.uk 5
Many valves have a characteristic that makes the restriction to flow decrease with movement such
as poppet valves and spool valves. Variable area flow meters (Rotameters) are based on this
principle and the floats can often oscillate up and down inside the tube due to this. Electronic
devices such as tunnel diodes have a similar characteristic and are used to generate electronic
oscillations.

ANALYSIS OF THE PIPELINE DYNAMICS

Consider a pipe connected to volume as shown. The pipe has a length l and bore area A
1
. The fluid
in the pipe has inertance L, capacitance C and resistance G
1
. The analogue circuit is shown. p
v
is
equivalent to V
i
and p
1
is equivalent to V
o
.

The circuit impedance viewed from the volume is : Z
p
= G
1
+ X
L
+ X
c

This is the LUMPED PARAMETERS. It was shown in the first tutorial that for a gas
2
a
A
C
l
= and
A
L
l
= . The resistance is less easy to express.
Well established electrical transmission line theory lets us make the analogy that the volume is the
same as a short circuit in which case the impedance in terms of the DISTRIBUTED
PARAMETERS is

= =
a

tan jZ
m
p
Z
o
1
p
l
&


Consider that a simple valve is placed at the end of the pipe. In this case we will assume that the
restriction of the valve at the operating point is G
2
but of course this could be a complex expression.

METHOD 1 LUMPED PARAMETERS CIRCUIT



The circuit impedance viewed from the volume is : Z = G
1
+ X
L
- R
2
X
c
/(X
c
- G
2
)
X
L
is the inductive reactance and in Laplace form X
L
= sL
X
C
is the capacitive reactance and in Laplace form X
C
= 1/sC
( )
2
2
1
G 1/sC
/sC G
sL G Z

+ =
sC G - 1
G
sL G
2
2
1
+ =
( )
1 - sC G
LC G s L - C G G s G - G
2
2
2
2 1 1 2
+ +
=

The numerator is ( )
1 2 2 1 2
2
G - G L - C G G s LC G s + +
D.J.Dunn www.freestudy.co.uk 6
Apply the Routh-Hurwitz criteria and the requirements for stable operation are:

i. G
1
>G
2

ii.
C G
L
G
2
1
>
For a pneumatic system the second criteria reduces to
2
2
1
2
1
G A
a
G >
The stabilising factors are a large capacitance and a suitable pipe restriction that depends on the
friction coefficient of the pipe and the length.

In many instances, there will be an operating point of the valve where the mass flow rate increases
even when the pressure p
1
reduces and this means there is an operating point with a negative G
2
and
such systems are unstable.

METHOD 2 CLOSED LOOP with DISTRIBUTED PARAMETERS

The volume at the supply end of the pipe is analogous to a closed circuit in electrical theory and
well established transmission line theory gives the impedance of the line as viewed from that end.
Making a pneumatic analogy we have the pipe impedance viewed from the volume as:

= =
a

tan jZ
m
p
Z
o
1
p
l
&

Z
o
is characteristic impedance of the pipe and by analogy is
A
a
C
L
Z
o
= =
L and C are the distributed parameters with negligible restriction (friction).
We had
1
1
2 1
1
p
x
C C
m
p

+ =
&
(1) ( )
2
d s v
Ms k k x F + + = ..(3)
Combine equations (1), (3) and
m
p
Z
1
p
&
= to eliminate p
1
and we get the result
4
1 p
p 2 3
v
C
C Z 1
Z C C
x
F
+

=
This is a transfer function H
2
relating the fluid forces on the valve element to the pressure in the
pipe.
4
1 p
p 2 3
2
C
C Z 1
Z C C
H +

=
It was shown earlier that the relationship between the force and the pressure from examination of
the pipeline is
( )
1
2
d s 1
M k k H

+ =

The closed loop block diagram is shown.
H
1
is the transfer function of the valve and H
2
the
transfer function of the pipe line.
The open loop transfer function is:
( )

+ = =

4
1 p
p 2 3
1
2
d s 2 1 OL
C
C Z 1
Z C C
M k k H H H
Remember in terms of distributed parameters that

=
a

tan jZ Z
o p
l

When l/a = /2, 3/2. . this is infinity and when l/a = , 2, 3, . it is zero.
D.J.Dunn www.freestudy.co.uk 7
If we could plot the Nyquist diagram the system would be unstable if it enclosed the -1 point. Since
the constants C
3
and C
4
are difficult to determine this might be difficult to do but we do know that
this would occur if H
1
or H
2
is negative and when:

i. When l/a = /2, 3/2 .

+ +
>
M
/C C C C k k
1 2 3 4 d s

ii. When l/a = , 2, 3 .

+
>
M
C k k
4 d s

This is a logical result.

Condition (i) corresponds to the pipe being resonant due to being wave length long or a multiple
of this. At this condition C
3
C
2
/C
1
changes sign but C
4
being independent of pressure change will
remains negative.

Condition (ii) corresponds to the pipe being resonant and wave length long. At this condition the
pressure variations in the pipe being reflected will cancel the variations being set up by the valve
oscillation. The component C
3
C
2
/C
1
vanishes but C
4
will remains negative.


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